IMPROVING STUDENTS VOCABULARY MASTERY USING FLASHCARDS (A Classroom Action Research on Fifth Grade Students of SD N Mojosari in 2009/2010 Academic Year) THESIS Arranged by: Marik Nur Fajarini (X2206013) ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACULTY SEBELAS MARET UNIVERSITY SURAKARTA 2013 i
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ABSTRACT Marik Nur Fajarini. X2206013. IMPROVING STUDENTS VOCABULARY MASTERY USING FLASHCARD (A Classroom Action Research on Fifth Grade Students of SD N Mojosari in 2009/2010 Academic Year) A thesis. Surakarta: Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sebelas Maret University, Juni 2013. The aims of the research are: (1) to know whether or not flashcards can improve the students vocabulary mastery (2) to describe the implementation flashcards solve the vocabulary mastery problems and (3) to identify what the strength and weaknesses of flashcards when it is implemented in teaching and learning English vocabulary. The method used in this research is collaborative classroom action research. The research was conducted May until June 2010.The subject of the study is the fifth grade students of SD N Mojosari in the academic year of 2009/2010. It is carried out in two cycles. Each cycle consists of three meeting and consists of 70 minutes. The data collected through observation, interview, field note, research diaries, photograph, pre-test and post-test. The qualitative data analyzed through the step of assembling the data, comparing the data, building interpretations, and reporting outcomes. Meanwhile, the quantitative data analyzed by comparing the mean score of pre-test and post-test. The research findings showed that flashcards improve students vocabulary mastery. The research finding include: 1) the students pronounce words correctly. But, it needs extra time to drill and repeat in drilling one word; 2) the students easy to memorize many words. They can directly know the meaning by looking and imagining the picture flashcards; 3) the students use words correctly. They made fewer mistakes in implementing the words in the right contexts; 4) the students can spell words correctly. The researcher uses the combination of word and picture flashcards in practice spelling to the students; 5) the result of the final test conveys that there was a significant progress on the students achievement in doing vocabulary test after the research conducted. Their achievement could be seen from their performance in teaching learning process and from the scores that improve gradually in every test. The mean score of pre-test is 43.68 and improves to 57.71 in post-test 1. And rises to 70.69 in post test 2. Keyword : vocabulary, flashcards. v
MOTTO Kebahagian hidup yang sebenarnya adalah hidup dengan rendah hati. (W.M. Thancheray) Orang yang paling tidak bahagia ialah Mereka yang yang paling takut pada perubahan. (Mignon McLaughlin) vi
DEDICATION 1. My Beloved Parents, my brothers and my extended family who have coloring my life, give me unbroken support, prayer, cares, and endless love. 2. My Dearest Fiancé, Sem for his patience, loves and sweetest cares. 3. My best friends who always support me. vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Alhamdulillahirobbil alamin. All praise and thanks only for Allah SWT, The Almighty God that gives the writer His blessing and His help and guidance so the writer can finish her thesis. In the process of her study, she received support, advice, contribution, and assistance from many people. She would like to express her gratitude to: 1. The Dean of Teacher Training and Education Faculty for approving this thesis. 2. The Head of The Art and Language Department who has given his permission to write the thesis. 3. Endang Setyaningsih, S.Pd, M.Hum, the Head of English Department of Teacher Training and Education Faculty for giving the writer permission to write the thesis and as the writer s second consultant for his time, patience, helpful correction, guidance and suggestion. 4. Dr.Sujoko MA as the writer s first consultant for his patience, helpful correction, guidance and suggestion. 5. The big family of SD N Mojosari, who participated well in the research. 6. Her beloved parents, her brother and her extended family for their everlasting love, unlimited patience, and wonderful support. 7. Her dearest fiancé, Sem for being her everything, always giving motivation and cares; his family for their prayer and encouragement. 8. Her best friends in Geng Cempluk : Cixuy, Pitiya and Mimi for always becoming friends all the time. 9. Her friends in the English Department of the year 2006 who cannot be mentioned one by one for the lasting friendship. 10. Her friends who are impossibly mentioned one by one. viii
11. Everyone who helped the writer to conduct the research who cannot be mentioned here and those who participated in writing this thesis. She realizes that this thesis still has many mistakes and inaccuracies. Therefore, the writer accepts gratefully every suggestion, criticism and comment from those who concern to this thesis. Hopefully, this thesis will be able to give contribution and be useful for the readers, especially for who are interested in similar study. Surakarta, Agustus 2013 Marik Nur Fajarini ix
TABLE OF CONTENT page TITLE OF PAGE i PRONOUNCEMENT ii THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSULTANTS.. iii THE APPROVAL OF THE EXAMINERS... iv ABSTRACT... v MOTTO... vi DEDICATION. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT... viii TABLE OF CONTENT... x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION.. 1 A. Background of the Study.. 1 B. Problem Limitation... 3 C. Problem Statement 3 D. The Objective of the Study 4 E. The Benefit of the Study 4 CHAPTER II REVIEW ON RELATED LITERATURE 5 A. Review on Vocabulary 5 1. The Definition of Vocabulary 5 2. Kind of Vocabulary 6 3. The definition of Vocabulary Mastery.. 6 B. Teaching Vocabulary to Children. 8 1. The Characteristic of Young Learners.. 8 2. Teaching and Learning Vocabulary to Children 11 C. Review on Flashcards 14 1. The Definition of Flashcards.. 14 2. Types and Use of Flashcards 15 x
3. Advantages Using Flashcards 18 D. Rationale 19 E. Action Hypothesis. 20 CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.. 21 A. The Place and time of the Research. 21 B. The Subject of the Research. 21 C. The Method of the Research 21 D. The Model of the Research... 22 E. The Procedures of the Research 23 F. The Technique of Collecting Data 25 G. The Technique of Analyzing Data 27 1. Analyzing the Qualitative Data... 27 2. Analyzing the Quantitative Data. 28 CHAPTER IV RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION... 29 A. Flashcards improves students vocabulary 29 B. The Implementation of flashcards in improving students 30 vocabulary. C. The strengths and weaknesses flashcards 32 1. The strengths when flashcards is used in teaching 32 vocabulary. 2. The weaknesses when flashcards is used in teaching 33 vocabulary. CHAPTER V CONCLUSION, IMPLICATION AND SUGGESTION 34 A. Conclusion... 34 B. Implication... 35 C. Suggestion... 36 BIBLIOGRAPHY 37 APPENDICES.. 40 xi
LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1 The Students Improvement in Vocabulary Mastery Achievement Table 4.2 The Students Improvement in Each Vocabulary Aspect.. Table 4.2 The implementation of flashcards in improving student s vocabulary.. Page 30 30 31 xii
LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1 The Model of Action Research.... 22 page xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES page Appendix 1: School Map 40 Appendix 2: List of Students Name... 41 Appendix 3: Class Seat Map.. 42 Appendix 4: Research Schedule 43 Appendix 5: Pre-Research Observation Note. 44 Appendix 6: Transcript of Interview... 49 Appendix 7: Field Note and Coding.. 59 Appendix 8: Lesson Plan... 82 Appendix 9: Questions and Answer Key 94 Appendix 10: Pre-Test and Post-Test Blueprint.. 103 Appendix 11: Recapitulation of Students Score.. 105 Appendix 12: Sample of Students Result Test 108 Appendix 13: Sample of Students Worksheets 138 Appendix 14: Photographs... 164 Appendix 15: Legalization... 166 xiv